Time-indicating apparatus



H. E. WARREN.

TIME INDICATING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. 1920.

1 ,409,502. Patented M61. 14, 1922.

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'Im/enbm": |-l enry E. Warren His Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. WARREN, OF ASHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WARREN CLOCK COMPANY, OF ASHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

TIME-INDICATING APPARATUS.

Original application filed April 15, 1918, Serial No.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar, 14, 1922. 228,533. Divided and this application filed June 18,

1920. Serial No. 390,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. WARREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Indicating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to time indicating apparatus,

and more particularly to means whereby such apparatus may be regulated and set.

' This application is a division of an application filed in my name, Serial 'No. 228,638, filed April 15, 1918, entitled Time indicatin apparatus and assigned to the Warren lock Company.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for accurately setting a time plece so that it may agreewith standard indications such as the time signals from Washington and to bring this about in an easy and gradual way without the necessity of a hand setting or by other mechanical methods. Another object is to regulate or set the time piece without any physical contact with any of its moving parts. Other advantages and objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

My invention contemplates the use of an oscillating member for timing the clock movement having at least a portion thereof of magnetic material, preferably a permanently magnetized steel bar. In an ordinary clock movement the oscillating member of course takes the form of a pendulum of which the bob may carry the permanent magnet heretofore referred to. With'such a construction it is possible to vary the period of the oscillatlng member by electromagnetic means, suchofor example as a coiled -wire placed so that it may become active either to attract or repel the magnetic member carried by the pendulum. By varying is entirely obviated and the period-of the pendulum may be varied by means of an external current varying device. This result attains great importance when it is necessary to set the clock; that is, to bring its indication into coincidence with the indications from a standard source such as the sigxljalled observatory time at lVashington. i hen it is necessary to set the clock, 0 I provide means for varying the period of vibration of the oscillating member for a limited plurality of oscillations only, and I attain this result by so arranging the clock movement that it breaks the electric circuit which energizes the period varying coil after the clock train has moved a distance corresponding 'to a predetermined elapsed time. Preferably I so arrange the circuit for the coiled conductor that said circuit may be closedmanually, but is automatically opened by the clock movement itself, as stated above.

It is possible with my invention, therefore, to attain extreme recision for setting and regulating the cloc because the value of the current sent through the coiled conductor may be set within very close limits to produce its desired efi'ects.

The construction and mode of operation of my invention may be-understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure shows diagrammatically the circuit arrangement and the operating parts of the clock to be regulated.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, I show a standard time piece 1, the rate of which is dependent upon the rate of oscil;

lower end a bob 3. This clock is of the same type as shown and described in my prior application 'hereinbefore referred to, and since itis entirely immaterial so far as my present invention is concerned just what form of clock movement is to be regulated, I shall not describe it in any greater detail. Sufi'ice it to say that an escapement is utilized which is in operative relation to the clock hands, one of which is shown at 4. An intermediary gear 5 is used to drive the hands, which indicate the time of day on a clock dial 6. The means for varying the ,termediate point of resistance 12 period of oscillation of the pendulum 2 is shown as an electro-magnetic device, comrising two coiled conductors 7 and 8 placed immediately below the pendulum bob 3 which carrles at its lower end a bar of magnetic material 9. This bar 9 is preferably permanently terial such as hard steel so that it may retain its magnetism indefinitely. For regulating the clock, so that its rate may be accurate, thenoil 7 is used. This coil is connected into a potentiometer circuit so that the current flowing therethrough may be gradually varied or reversed. This potentiometer circuit comprises the two sources of electricity shown in this case as cells 10 and 11, placed in series with a resistance 12.

' The energizing circuit for the coil 7 is tapped off. from thiscircuit, one terminal of the coil 7 being connected by wire 13 'to an invariable by means of the switch arm 14, while the other terminal of said coil isconnected by the. sett' also use a scale 17 showing a'ccuratelg of the pen is so made wire 15 between the two cells 10 and 11 which preferably have equal E. M. F.s. It is'eVident that when the blade 14 contacts with the exact midpoint of the resistance 12 no current flows through coil 7 because its terminals are connected to-points of'equa potential. B moving the switch arm 14 in one or the-0t or direction a current may be sent through the coil 7 in either direction so as to attract or repel the permanent magnet 9. For convenience in performing the regulating operation, I provide a box shown diagrammatically at 16 whichhouses the regulating resistance and switch arm 14. I rlpay ow much the switch arm 14 must be move so as to correct b the required amount the period ulum. Thislcircuit arrangement made permanent. I provide means similar to that already described, for temporarily altering or varying the period of the pendulum so that the clock'may be brought to exact coincidence .with a standard indication within a reasonably short time. by way of example external appearance as 16. The resistance 19 in with the cells 10 and 11 The operations of means and the regulating means are entire y separated and distinct and have nothing in common except that .In the drawings I show a box 18 havin the same the regu ating box bob is used for-exerting an force upon the magnet 9,-just as the coiled conductor The terminals of the coil,8 are connected respectively to switch arm 20 which connects to intermediate points on the resistance 19 and located between the ee 10 and 11.. The

magnetized and made of a ma the drawing.

k that the variation ofthe period 7 of the pendulum may be this box is in series.

the samesources of current 10 and 11' are used. The. coiled conductor 8 placed near the pendulum felectro-magn'etic ten seconds 15 to a wire 21which connects one of the terminals of the coil 8 to the switch arm 20 is broken at a point 22, at which point there is located a manually operated switching -means 23, which may be conveniently operated by depressing a knob 24. This switching means is so arranged that a catch holds this means closed after the knob 24 is depressed. The switchin means 23, a s/shown, comprises a spring b ade suppor. on a post 25 electrically connected wit a wire 26 leading to the switch arm2il of the box 18 used for setting the clock. A contact tip 27 is carried at the other end of this spring blade 23,

shoulder 32 on a rod 33 .in rigid connection with the knob 24. Other means of course .may be utilized for holding the two contact points together. It is evident that for closing the switch it is merely necessary to push as shown at 30, and carrying a hooked portion 31 adapted to engage a down on the knob 24; this movement causes 1 the shoulder 32 to be moved below the hooked member 31. Said hooked member thus engages the shoulder and keeps the rod 33 in its depressed weight of the arm 34: of the catch 29. In order-to guide the rod 33 in its up and down movement I. provide a stationary guide 35 in which the enlarged portion 36 of said rod ma enter, as clearly shown in The circuit for coil 8, however, may be opened 'at the contact tips 27 and 28 by the clock movement itself, so that the setting means is only active for a relatively short period. For performing this function, I provide a pin 37 carried by. one of the gears operating the hands of the clock, in this case shown as the hour hand ear 5, which rotates once in twelve hours. he pin 37 serves to lift the arm 34 of the pivoted catch 29 so that the hooked member 31 is disengaged from the shoulder 32 and the rod 33 moves upward, dueto the springiness of the contact arm 23, into the position shown in the drawing. For convenience in performing this catch releasing operation, I provide a bent over portion 38 on the arm 34 of the catch. On the setting box I provide a scale .39, showing where the switch arm 20 must be set for roducing a desired efiecton the period of t e pendulum. c

The mode of operation of my invention clear from the. oregoing description. As

position, due to the an 'example,su ppose that the clock registers fast'at the time ofthe noon from Washington'; the regulating switch arm-14 is set so as to-cor'rect once for all the -period.of the pendulum. The 1 switch arm 20, however, is set in such a position that in a succeeding twelve hours ten seconds will be lost by the clock movement. At the same time the knob 24 is depressed so that the catch 29 may become active to hold the circuit including the setting coilv 8 in operative relation. At the end of a complete revolution of the gear wheel 5 the pin 37 serves to release the catch 29 and the circuit is thus opened at the contacts 27 and 28. If the indicating means comprising the scale 39 and pointer 4:0 carried by the switch arm 20 is accurately calibrated, the period of the pendulum 3 has been varied during the revolution of gear wheel 5 to such an extent that the ten seconds is lost. The regulating means is, however, active at all times to cause the clock to have a fixed rate and this means is entirely independent of the setting means described above.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited thereto but aim to cover in the appended claims all modifications falling fairly within the scope of my invention. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an instrument of the character described, a clock movement, a pendulum for timing said movement, means for varying the period of said pendulum, and means driven by saidclock movement for rendering said period varying means inoperative after a predetermined elapsed time.

In an instrument of the character described, a clock movement, a pendulum for timing said movement, electromagnetic means for varying the period of said pendulum, a manually set contact device in the circuit energizing said electromagnetic means, and means driven by said clock,v movement for opening said contact device at a predetermined time.

3. The combination with a timingdevice provided with an oscillating magnetic member, of a coiled conductor located in the field of said magnetic member, and means for passing 'a measured current for a limited time through said coiled conductor for set ting the timing device.

4. The combination with a timing device provided with an oscillatingma'gnetic member, of a coiled conductor located in the field of said magnetic member, means for passing a a measured current for a limited time through said coiled conductor for setting the timing device, and an indicator cooperatin with said means for showing the effect of the current upon the setting of the timing d'evlce.

5. The combination with a timing device provided with an ,oscillating member, of means for varying thelperiod of said' mem;

ber, and means driven by said timing defor varying the period of said member,

means for manually setting said period varying means into operation, and means driven by said clock movement for rendering said period varying means inoperative.

7. In an instrument of the character described, a clock movement, a pendulum for timing said movement, means for varying the period of said pendulum, a manually set catch for rendering said period varying means operative, and an o erating member for releasing said catch driven by the clock movement.

8. In an instrument of the character described, a clock movement, a pendulum for timing said movement, electromagnetic means for varying the period of said pendulum, a switch in the circuit energizing said electromagnetic means, a pivoted catch for holding said switch in operative position, and means driven by said clock movement for releasing said catch at a predetermined time.

9. The combination with a timing device provided with an oscillating magnetic member, of a coiled conductor located in the field of said magnetic member, means for energizing said coiled conductor, and means driven by said timing device for rendering said energizing means ineflective.

10. In a timing device, means for setting said device comprising means for temporarily exerting a force upon a movable part of said timing device without physical contact therewith, and means for varying said force.

11. In a timing device, an oscillating member, means for setting said device comprising means for temporarily exerting a force upon said oscillating member without physical contact therewith, and means for varying said force.

12. In an instrument of the character described, a clock movement a pendulum for timing said movement, means for setting the instrument comprising means for temporarily exerting a force upon said pendulum without physical contact therewith, and means for varying said force.

13. In a timing device, time indicating means, an oscillating member to control g said means, and means for setting said timing device comprising means for exerting a force upon a movable part of said timing device without physical contact therewith and during a limlted plurality of oscillations of said oscillating member.

14. In a timing device, time indicating means, an oscillating member" to control said means, means for controlling the period of for varying the period of a limited plurality oscillation of said oscillating member, and of oscillations of said member, and means to 10 means for varying the period of a limited indicate the degree of efi'ectiveness of said 1 plurality of oscillations ofsaid member. period varying means.

15. In a timing device, time indicating In witness whereof, I have hereunto set means, an oscillating memher to control said my hand this second day of June, 1920.

' means, means for controlling the period 0 oscillation of saidoscillating member, means I a HENRY E. WARREN. 

